TOP 4 Slovenian traditional desserts - cakes
Tiramisu. Sacher cake. Black Forest cake. Pavlova. Creme brullee. Baklava. Churros. Belgian waffles. I can go on forever... Basically every country (or region) on the planet has its own famous cake/dessert. Slovenia is no different, so we put together a list of 4 Slovenian traditional desserts - cakes for you to try. They even come from different regions, but end up in bellies of locals all over the country. Some eaten regularly and some for local festivities. If you join one of our bike tours of Ljubljana you can have one without a regret, you will burn the calories on our bike ride :) If you want to learn more about Slovenian cuisine we suggest you a book with recipes Cook Eat Slovenia.
Štruklji
Most visitors will struggle to pronounce this word, so the closest English word/explanation would be dumplings. It is a dish from stretched, yeast, leafy-yeast, whole wheat or buckwheat dough with various fillings. Traditional fillings are cottage cheese, tarragon, walnuts. These days you can find more variations like chocolate, blueberry, mango, lemon and others. We would top them up with breadcrumbs browned in melted butter. We also have savoury options that can be served as a side dish. Locals tend to buy them in supemarkets, keep them in the fridge and quickly steam them when hungry.
You can find all sorts of flavors (traditional or modern) at Moji Štruklji Slovenije. They started their operations at the mountain hut Kofce. When they noticed that people hike to their place solely to enjoy their tasty štruklji, they decided to open a bistro on the central food market of Ljubljana. It was a big move, but a very successful one. But they still taste better after one hour hike, on fresh mountain air and breathtaking view.
Potica
I guess this has to be the most traditional cake of Slovenia and it dates centuries back. It is mainly prepared and eaten for the important holidays, especially Easter and Christmas. It takes years and many tries to master the art of making the perfect Potica! A skill passed from grand-mothers to daughters and grand-daughters.
As the name implies in our language, it is a rolled pastry baked in a round tray with a hole in the middle. With over 100 different fillings it is hard to choose the best one. Most often it has walnut and raisins filling, but if you prefer lighter version go for tarragon Potica. In any case Potica goes well together with a warm drink like tea or coffee.
Unlike other three on our list, Potica is quite rarely eaten at other times of the year. It also means it will be a bit harder to find it on your visit. LePotica is a boutique shop that sells pocket size Potica in the old town of Ljubljana. Or you can find it in Maxi department store.
Blejska kremna rezina - Blejska kremšnita
People will tell you that "kremšnita," as we simply call it, is a traditional cake. If it has the rights to be called like that, you decide on your own. The fact is, it is far younger than other three on our list. It was year 1953 and the chef of Park hotel pattiserie department Ištvan Lukačević "designed" this mouth watering creme slice. It is made in a large tray and then sliced into 7cm by 7cm cubes. It really has to be eaten fresh to have crunchy crust on top and light creme filling. You might struggle to find the right technique to tackle it, but let's keep it a secret! In 70 year history of kremšnita, Park hotel has sold over 16 millions of them which would make over 1000km long line if you would stack them one next to the other. Your visit to lake of Bled just can't be complete without trying one!
Prekmurska gibanica
Prekmurska gibanica is a complex layered cake with origins in Prekmurje, Slovenian region east of Mura river on the Pannonian basin. It is made of two different types of dough and four different fillings that repeat twice - cottage cheese, poppy seeds, apples, walnuts. It is all about the right ratio of fillings to make all the local ingredients really stand out and combine into a sweet harmony! If you think that Prekmurje region is too far (although we highly recommend it for its food and culture, cycling trips and spa retreats) don't worry, you can get it in many places around the country!
Written by: Tevž Černigoj
